Lux Lunae
by Shark on Land
Summary: The encounters between them were certainly strange enough... strange for a Nobody that is. However, they managed to show Saix that having some emotions is better than having none at all. KH1 to postKH2. Saix/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Okies, this is my first time writing a Kingdom Hearts fanfic. Kinda scared about trying it, but I really just want to give it a shot. So here it goes, and wish me luck!

_Disclaimer: _I don't own anything Kingdom Hearts related. Got it? Good.

**_

* * *

_**

A cloaked figure sauntered about the world of Hallow Bastion with a calm gait, unafraid of the Heartless slowly growing in number as they followed him. No matter how great the number increased, the man remained as indifferent as ever.

However, the war that was raging in his mind served as a stark contrast to his pace. If he were able to feel an emotion such as anger or hate, it would certainly be coursing through him at this moment. Giving a barely audible sigh of aggravation, the figure lowered his hood to reveal a shock of dark blue hair along with an X-shaped scar that crossed the bridge of his nose. His name was Saix, the Luna Diviner, Number VII of the Organization XIII.

Saix looked up at the sky with blank, golden eyes, wondering _why_ in the name of Kingdom Hearts had his Superior commanded him to undertake this particular mission? Acting as the second-in-command of Organization XIII, Saix resented taking orders, even from the Superior. But then again, he didn't even have a heart to _feel_ resentment.

Well, all complaints aside, it simply wouldn't do to keep the Superior waiting. The orders were simple, to investigate rumors of another possible keyblade warrior. Usually, it was Axel's duty to undertake missions such as this, but Xemnas had said that this particular candidate was most likely beyond the pyromaniac's abilities. But if the rumors proved to be false, then that meant that Saix had squandered his precious time. And that thought didn't please him in the least.

Giving a low growl deep in his throat, Saix easily maneuvered through the rocky slopes that led downhill toward the abandoned castle that once belonged to Ansem the Wise. So far nothing had been found that could prove the warrior's existence, and the Luna Diviner could no longer think of any other place to look. There were no suspicious inhabitants to be located in the town close to the castle, and the countless Heartless that constantly pitted themselves against him only seemed to support any doubts of the target's existence. _'If there truly is a keyblade warrior here,'_Saix thought as his claymore, Lunatic, sunk into a Heartless that had attempted to claw him in the back._'Then he must not know of how to control his weapon's power. Such a warrior will serve as neither a hindrance nor an aid to the Organization.' _Once the crowds of Heartless had dissipated, Saix resumed his brisk pace through the Great Maw. The sooner he finished searching this world, the sooner he could return to his own.

Suddenly, Saix could sense a presence silently trailing him. Assuming it was another Heartless, he abruptly ceased his steps and began to drum his fingers against Lunatic's hilt. He was no longer in any mood to toy with such weak beings. Sensing an object being hurled in his direction, Saix blocked the missile with his claymore without even turning toward his opponent. However, he couldn't help but raise a narrow eyebrow when he saw what had actually been thrown at him. A rock…and a small one at that. Looking in the direction where the rock had been tossed, he could make out the sounds of something noisily attempting to hide itself. Definitely not a Heartless. Even _they_ didn't make _that_ much noise.

"Come out," he commanded in his signature monotone. "Face me." The noises abruptly stopping, Saix could hear the crunch of the gravel behind him as the opponent drew closer and closer. Drumming his fingers lightly against Lunatic once again, the Nobody closed his golden eyes. Did they really think that they were being _stealthy_?

When the footsteps had come within a yard of his person, Saix swirled around to face his adversary. Thrusting the claymore within a millimeter of their face, Saix felt his eyebrows raise the slightest degree when he saw his assailant. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't _this_. Judging by how wide the girl's hazel eyes had grown, she had obviously not been expecting a giant claymore to be thrown in her face. A gust of wind ruffled the brunette's hair as both remained completely still.

"What the _hell_ were you thinking?!" the young woman suddenly shrieked. "You could have _killed_ me with that thing!"

Giving a small sigh of exasperation, he questioned, "Why did you throw those rocks?"

The girl scoffed, he almost sounded like a parent reprimanding his child. At the sound of her contempt, he allowed Lunatic to roughly graze the side of her face. "I shall not ask again," Saix warned, as he gazed indifferently at the drop of blood slowly making its way down her face.

"Alright, I see what you're doing," she grumbled, backing away from the claymore and positioning her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know that that intimidation act won't work on me."

"Intimidation?" Saix drawled. "Now, why would I use that when I could kill you right now?"

"You _might_ have to enlighten me," she stated, lazily crossing her arms. "I don't really know how psychopaths act, you see."

"Will you answer my question or will you not?" he growled. This woman was steadily beginning to worsen his already sour mood.

"Hmm, I really don't see how it's any of your business."

"Woman, you try my patience," Saix growled. She was clearly overstepping his limits now. It was bad enough he was on a completely pointless mission, but now he had to put up with Heartless, unseen assailants throwing rocks, and now to top it all off, this woman _refusing_ to leave well enough alone.

"_What_ did you call me?" she hissed, glaring daggers at the Nobody. "My name is _not_ 'woman'," she glared. "It's Runa, and— Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"

"Away from this nonsense," the Luna Diviner replied, summoning a portal of darkness with a wave of his hand.

"I'm not through with you just yet!"

"But I am with you." Pausing before he entered the portal, he murmured, "And next we meet, I just might kill you for your impertinence." And with a small step into the portal, the world of Hollow Bastion vanished, along with that girl's infuriated expression.

Appearing in The Gray Area in mere seconds, Saix promptly sat on the nearest chair once he saw that no others occupied the room. Setting one foot on the edge of the table in front of him, he suppressed the urge to rub his temples as that girl's voice continued to ring through his head.

Hopefully, Xemnas wouldn't be sending him anywhere anytime soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Okay, here's the next chapter. Sorry for the wait, but this is actually the story that's getting the quickest updates. Weird, huh? Anywho, thanks to all that faved and read, and thanks to NinjaSheik as well for reviewing! And with that, I'm shutting up so that you can read. Happy Thanksgiving!

_Disclaimer:_ Kingdom Hearts is no belonging to me. Only Runa and plot is belonging to me. Yeesh.

* * *

Many days had passed since he had encountered that strange girl. And since then, Xemnas had not, thankfully, sent him on any other missions. Now back to his regular position of giving out missions to the other members of Organization XIII, Saix returned to his usual routine. However, he found that every once in awhile, his thoughts, albeit annoyed ones, soon turned to that girl…Runa, was it? But that was besides that point.

What actually bothered him was her audacity to speak out against him. Didn't she know who he was? Didn't she know danger when it stared her in the face? Did she lack any sense of self-preservation? These questions, amazingly enough, didn't fade over time; instead, they only seemed to grow stronger. When faced with danger, most either begged for mercy or rushed into battle without a strategy. These types never failed to disgust Saix as he watched their demise from the shadows with indifferent eyes. However, this girl had presented Saix with something that he had not foreseen.

Idiocy.

Narrowing his eyes at the thought of that particular trait, the Luna Diviner gave a low growl from the back of his throat. Taking it upon himself to pour some tea that Luxord had left behind, Saix hoped that it would serve to calm him. It had been a hard enough day as it was. Heartless were causing mayhem everywhere they went, more so than usual. In fact if the Organization had not intervened, many worlds would have surely disappeared by now. But despite the armies that were slain, Kingdom Hearts had become no larger or easier to obtain. According to Xemnas, the only way that that goal would become a reality was if a keyblade warrior was to join their ranks; hence, Saix's investigation in Hollow Bastion.

Continuing to sip at his tea delicately, Saix casually turned to look over his shoulder as he heard the sounds of footsteps steadily approaching The Grey Area. Much to his chagrin he found no other than the Superior himself. Masking his surprise with a slight nod of the head, Saix wondered why Xemnas had decided to leave his section of the castle. After all, he barely left that portion except for meetings and the like. Obviously something of importance had made itself known.

"Superior, is something amiss?" Saix questioned nonchalantly, setting down his drink.

"Number VII, do you recall the investigation you made in Hollow Bastion approximately a month ago?"

"Of course."

"Rumors of the keyblade warrior Sora have continued since then. It is likely that he and Ansem's heartless will soon confront each other."

"…And there is something you require of me," he murmured in a way that acted as a statement, not a question.

Walking over to the great windows that allowed the onlooker to observe every aspect of The World That Never Was, Xemnas directed his piercing gaze toward Kingdom Hearts itself. "You are to go to Ansem's castle in Hollow Bastion. There, you will find a main computer that stores the valuable information we have accumulated over the years."

"You wish for me to gather you this information, and bring it to you?" Saix mused. _'And thus another useless mission is assigned,' _he thought, resisting the urge to glare holes in his tea.

"No, all of it has already been collected here. What I want you to do is to corrupt those files. Make sure that no one will ever be able to access the information. If the keyblade wielder or any of his comrades find a way to do so, then it may unravel everything we have worked for all these years."

"I shall leave immediately then," the Luna Diviner stated. Summoning a portal, he was about to depart from his world when the Superior continued to speak.

"That girl you encountered on your previous mission… Runa, correct?"

Not facing Xemnas, Saix simply continued to stand by the portal. "Yes, that is her name."

"She merits suspicion. If you come across her again, you are to inquire about her actions. More… forceful actions are permissible if she fails to comply."

"If I may Superior," Saix said, turning to face his leader. "Why should we be wary of her?"

"You think otherwise?"

"Without a doubt sir. That wretch does not possess the intelligence to attempt anything that could possibly _be_ suspicious! She's ignorant beyond belief, as well as one of the most infuriating beings I have ever met."

"Nevertheless, your orders remain unchanged," Xemnas stated, giving the Nobody a stern glance. "Now go." Giving only a small nod in reply, Saix stepped through the portal leading to Hollow Bastion without a backward glance.

* * *

Typing away furiously at the keyboard before him, Saix stared unblinkingly at the glowing screen as he attempted to hack into its system. _'It shouldn't be this difficult to access a computer used by the Organization. Then again, this did belong to Ansem. It is probable that he put defenses against such events when he was still in possession of the device.' _Little had ever been told to the neophytes about the man called Ansem, besides the necessary facts. Sometimes it made Saix wonder what else Xemnas could be hiding from the rest of the Organization.

Shaking his head of those thoughts, the Nobody returned to the current task. He was forced to admit that the system was fairly difficult; however, in but a few more seconds, his goal was accomplished. Satisfied that it was now near impossible to retrieve any sort of information from the computer, Saix prepared to make his way out of the castle. Casually throwing his hood over his head so as to remain anonymous, he had barely taken begun when the sound of hurried footsteps reached his ears. As the sounds drew nearer and nearer, he summoned his claymore in anticipation of a possible battle. Crouching into a battle stance and gripping Lunatic tightly, he bared his teeth just as the person rounded the corner.

Imagine his delight when he saw that it was only that girl again.

She must have been running for quite awhile judging by the way she was panting. She had also failed to notice him thus far. One hand was against the wall, supporting her, while the other hung limply as she bent over, attempting to catch her breath. Loosening his grip on Lunatic slightly, Saix briefly considered keeping his word from their last meeting, and killing her on the spot. Alas, the Superior wanted her alive, and he would surely be punished if he ignored such a command. So instead of embedding his claymore through her neck, he simply barked out, "You, woman."

Apparently recognizing his voice, her head snapped up to face him as she fixed him with an intense glare. "Haven't I already told you that my name is Runa?!" she retorted while continuing to attempt to catch her breath.

"My apologies," Saix murmured mockingly. "It slipped my mind that you act more as a child than as a woman. I assure you, I shall not make that mistake again."

"Look you— " Giving a sudden sigh, the girl looked toward the sky briefly, as if praying to some deity. "Okay, can't I suggest _one_ thing without you attempting to kill me?"

"I guarantee you, never have I attempted to kill you." Saix smirked, watching as she narrowed her eyes at him. "For if I had, you would surely be dead," he then added, wishing to see what emotion she would demonstrate.

"You arrogant dog!" she snarled. _'Ah, anger then. How utterly…predictable,'_ the Luna Diviner thought, his golden eyes peering into her hazel orbs. Although he knew that emotions were now beyond his reach, it amused him to no end to see that fire burn in her eyes. Briefly, he wondered what those very eyes looked like when she was happy.

His mind abruptly returning to Xemnas's orders concerning the girl, Saix scoffed at the idea of the girl succeeding to hide anything from his Superior. This weak, emotionally dependent wench probably could not even hide anything from _Demyx_ for Kingdom Hearts' sake. And with that thought in mind, the hooded man opened a portal, and walked into it with a brisk stride. Just as it was about to close, he turned his face toward the girl who continued to glare furiously at him. "Your life is spared for today, little one. But rest assured, you will pay for your insolence next we meet."

And with that statement, Saix allowed himself to be enveloped in darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Sorry that this took so long. If you wanna take your blind, ferocious fury out on something, then by all means, please take it out on exams. Blegh. I'm just glad that they're finally over. And thanks to all who have reviewed and faved! Especially NinjaSheik! Those make meh so happeh! So without further ado, I give you ze next chapter!

_Disclaimer:_ Kingdom Hearts does not belong to me in any way, shape, or form. Period. Yeah.

* * *

Walking briskly about Ansem's study, Runa resisted the urge to take her frustration out on the desk in the center of the room. The blue-haired man's words continued to echo through her head, no matter how she attempted to block them out. Everything about him made her want to hit something. The way that he constantly exuded arrogance, the way those haughty golden eyes continually viewed her, as well as that condescending tone constantly hurling barbs. Muttering incoherent words underneath her breath, Runa exited the study to return to the main computer chamber.

She had arrived earlier to make sure that the chamber remained in good condition only to meet that strange man once again. Sighing, she knew that Cid would never forgive her if she let that machine fall into disrepair. Having made it himself, he had treated it almost like a foster child. According to Merlin, it had been made for the very ruler of Hollow Bastion years ago. However, after his apprentices had betrayed him, the room had been left in a state of disarray. Now Runa was here on a favor for Cid to see how his creation had taken on the years. And considering the trouble she had caused him and the rest of his friends a year ago, she viewed it as the least she could do. They, being complete strangers, had protected her brother when she could not. And of course, Cid took advantage of that debt every chance he got. In other words, she was the one who ran the errands. That is… until that day when they had all suddenly disappeared. Soon after that, the Heartless population had begun to increase dramatically as well. Occasional sightings of a tall, horned woman didn't exactly put Runa's mind at ease either.

Frowning at these thoughts, Runa proceeded to open the necessary files from the computer. However the frown slowly began to grow as the files failed to appear._**'**__Not good, not good, not good,'_ she thought, gritting her teeth. _'The creep must've been messing around with this.'_ Suddenly, a bright, red light began to flash across the screen. **"Attention current user. This is a warning. Further attempts of hacking will result in immediate defensive action," **a mechanical voice boomed.

"Shit," Runa muttered underneath her breath. Whatever that blue-haired freak had done, the effects were certainly going to be long lasting. In all her time spent with him, Cid had never mentioned the possibility of the _computer_, of all things, threatening her. A frustrated growl escaping her as she realized that there was nothing she could do (unless she wanted to find out what this "defensive action" was precisely), Runa refrained from slamming her fists on the keyboard. _'That guy _better_ hope that I don't catch him around here again,'_ she thought darkly.

* * *

Turns out it was possible for Nobodies to suffer headaches after all. He had always assumed that it was due to the lack of blood flow from his nonexistent heart. But after being forced to listen to VIII and IX's excuses for the better part of an hour, the Berserker was rubbing his temples furiously nonetheless. The way his thoughts kept returning to that loud-mouthed girl from Hollow Bastion didn't exactly help either. Clenching his gloved hand into a fist, it was all he could do to keep himself from punching a hole in the wall. That idiotic woman and her incessant prattle annoyed him to no end, despite the fact that it had been days since their last encounter. He should've simply slain her with Lunatic on the spot. But of course, the Superior had wanted her _alive_, which put a definite damper on that particular plan.

Now, after he had finally dismissed VIII and IX, Xemnas had summoned Saix to the Alter of Naught. As he finished climbing the smooth, marble stairs leading to the Superior, Saix saw to his surprise, that Xemnas was not alone. A short, blonde boy stood beside the silver-haired man; his large blue eyes glinting dully. _'Ah, a new member then,' _Saix thought, giving the boy a cursory glance.

Watching Saix from the corner of his eye, Xemnas turned his gaze back to the emptiness before him. The emptiness that would soon hold Kingdom Hearts itself in its grasp. "He has already been named?" he heard Saix ask indifferently.

"He has," he replied. "His name is Roxas, the Key of Destiny." Turning to face his second-in-command, Xemnas said, "He is also a keyblade wielder. Or to be precise… the Nobody of a keyblade wielder."

Eyes widening a fraction, Saix looked disbelievingly at the boy. _This_ was the Organization had been waiting for? This _child_ had the power to summon the keyblade itself? The boy was hardly worth the honor of restoring the Organization's hearts. Scoffing slightly underneath his breath, he inquired, "I assume that this is the same wielder you sent me to find in Hollow Bastion?"

"No. I found this one in Twilight Town. However, I expect you to continue searching in that location." Mentally flinching at the prospect of possibly running into that wretched woman yet again, Saix suppressed the growl rising in his throat.

Giving a small bow, Saix murmured, "As you wish sir." But as he began to descend the stairs, he heard his Superior call his name. "And Saix… do not fail me in this." Orange eyes narrowed at the Nobody's retreating form. "If we wish to achieve our goal, we must use every mean available to us."

"And we shall my lord." Shooting one last withering look towards the boy, Saix took this opportunity to leave Xemnas with his new toy. Slowly making his way toward the Addled Impasse, his own thoughts turned to where the keyblade bearer could possibly be hiding in a place like Hollow Bastion. The world was full of nooks and crannies to hide in, but he had searched all of them at least twice. For the first time, Saix was beginning to doubt Xemnas's assumptions. After all, wouldn't Xemnas know more about the wielder that came from Xemnas's original world? Arriving at his destination, Saix gazed at the perpetual night through the great windows that surrounded the area. Summoning Lunatic, he then proceeded with his daily training, imagining that it was that woman Runa he was sparring.

* * *

Love it? Like it? Hate it? Let me know! It makes ze chapters come faster!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Alright, first of all I would like to thank all of you for your never-ending patience for me and my ability to only spit out one, maybe two, chapters a month. Second of all, I would like to also thank you for reading this. It's definitely not my most popular story, but I have to admit, it's my favorite. Also, I would like to thanks NinjaSheik for reviewing. Thanks for your support! And with that, I shut up once again so that you can finally read the next chapter.

_Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts, its characters, and other whatnot does not belong to me. There's a shocker._

_

* * *

_

"The pieces are moving at long last," Xemnas said in his rumbling voice. The entirety of Organization XIII was assembled around him on their thrones; some listening attentively while others dozed in their seats. "The keyblade warrior has slain the Heartless called Ansem, and the Princesses of Heart have been returned to where they belong. The worlds have been healed, and all has returned to the way it was."

Listening to his Superior's every word, Saix allowed his gaze to flicker in Number XIII's direction. The boy seemed to be paying more attention as of late; however, his eyes remained empty, almost as if his mind was elsewhere. At least his performance on his missions seemed to be improving; otherwise he would have been nothing but a useless burden. And that was the last thing the Organization needed him to be. Whether Saix liked it or not, Roxas was the only one with the ability to summon Kingdom Hearts. Well… him and one other…

"--which concludes the briefing on Castle Oblivion. The assigned members shall depart within the next week. Now, I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat." Watching a feminine figure enter the room, Saix eyed the cloaked figure with distaste. "Number XIV," Xemnas murmured in his monotone. At this, Saix had to suppress a growl of loathing. It was intolerable that this… _doll_ was being accepted among their ranks. Although it was only a false induction, it was enough to make the berserker's teeth grind together. As the doll's introduction came to a close and the other members began to depart, Saix noticed Xemnas turn his head toward him. Taking this as a signal to stay, Saix remained on his throne as the last members finally left. "Has the other keyblade warrior been found yet Saix?"

"I'm afraid not milord," he confessed.

"My patience is wearing thin Number VII. That warrior should have been at our disposal by now," the silver-haired man said, eyes narrowing at the Nobody seated below him.

"Only a little more time is needed, I assure you. I beg your patience in this matter."

"Very well, but I shall expect progress to be made soon. Do you have any possible leads?"

Instantly, Runa's face came to mind. "Indeed I do milord," the Luna Diviner smirked.

"Then go." Bowing his head to his Superior one last time, Saix then disappeared in a flash of black.

* * *

"Thanks again you three!" Runa called out, a bag of supplies under her arm. "And be sure to stay out of trouble! I'm tired of chasing all of you across town," she said, giving a pointed glare toward Huey, Dewey, and Louie. However, the three ducks seemed to pay her no mind as they hurriedly turned to greet their next customer. The three ducks had returned a few days ago, along with the majority of the original inhabitants of Hollow Bastion. However, she had seen neither hide nor hair of her other friends. None of the villagers knew where Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid could possibly be hiding either. Sighing and shaking her head, Runa simply began to make her way back toward the castle. Snow now covered the walkways throughout the small village, and the hills had grown more slippery as well.

Speaking of slippery hills, Runa was now sliding down one of them at a dangerous rate. Desperately digging her heels into the soft snow, she began to slow down slightly but not nearly as much as she needed. She was sliding so fast that it only took a few seconds to send her rolling to the bottom of the hill. The contents of her bag spilling all over the ground, Runa cursed underneath her breath as she began to dig through the snow**. **And as she continued to gather her things, a black boot suddenly appeared in front of her. Glancing up at its owner, she cursed yet again when she saw whom it belonged to.

"Scrounging about, are we?" Saix questioned, raising a single, slender eyebrow. "Befitting for one such as yourself."

"What do you want _now_?" she grumbled. "I'm in no mood to put up with you at the moment, so if you've come all the way here just to mock me…"

"As entertaining as it sounds I must decline. This time, I am here on business," the Luna Diviner said in his monotone. "And I have questions for you wench."

"Oh really," she huffed. "And you couldn't ask any of the other people here? They would be _a lot_ more willing to deal with you." And with that she stood up and brushed by himwithout a glance. For a while, Saix stood frozen where he stood, unable to believe her cheek. Didn't she know now that he could dispatch her in a second?! A low growl rumbling deep in his throat, Saix's eyes flashed with a dangerous light. _'How _dare_ she turn her back on _me_,' _he thought, as each of his emotional barriers crumbled at his fast-approaching rage. Then, with a speed rarely used, Saix had grabbed Runa from the back of her shirt and threw her to the ground. Watching as she slowly pushed herself back up, Saix gave a small sneer as he walked towards her.

"I'm afraid that they can't answer the questions I have in mind," Saix smirked darkly, crouching on his haunches so that they were eye to eye. "Now, I have received information that a keyblade warrior holds residence here. What I want _you_ to tell _me_ is where to find him. Now," he hissed, grabbing her by her collar. "Where _is_ he?"

Fixing the Nobody with a cool gaze, she murmured, "I have no idea what you're talking about. The only keyblade wielder I know of is that boy that came a week ago. His name was... Sora, I think?"

"Liar," he said coolly, "You _know_ whom I'm talking about… I can see it in your eyes." Flicking his gaze about the area, a small smirk touched Saix's lips. "Where do you live anyway? You don't _appear _to inhabit the village." Hooking a finger under her chin, he suddenly felt a strange longing as he watched the fire dance in her emerald eyes. Before, it had only been simple anger. But now, the emotion had transformed into a fire he himself could never feel again. "I wonder… are _you_ the one I've been searching for? Are _you_ the one who has been evading me all this time?"

"Now you're just speaking nonsense," she retorted, jerking her face out of his hand. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be on my way before it gets any colder." As she turned away from the Nobody and began to walk away once again, Runa suddenly found herself surrounded by a group of Dusks.

"You didn't think that I'd let you go _that_ easily, did you?" Saix smirked. "Foolish woman, I still have plenty of questions for you."

Swirling around to face him, she spat, "Go ask someone else! How many times do I need to say it?!"

"And how many times do _I_ need repeat myself? …Perhaps the Dusks will persuade you to listen if I can't." And with a snap of his fingers, the Dusks descended upon Runa in the blink of an eye. Barely having enough time to even think, it was all she could do to dodge their attacks… and balance the bag she carried. A quick count told her that she was currently against about ten of them, and she was already tired enough from all the falling she had done lately, as stupid as it sounded. A desperate leap made to dodge one of the Dusks landed her next to the blue-haired man himself. "Ready to talk yet?" he asked, arms crossed as he leaned against a large boulder.

"What do ya think?!" she growled, panting for breath.

"As you wish," Saix shrugged, closing his eyes. "Although, you may want to move quickly." Giving a shrill shriek as one of the Dusks suddenly appeared beside her, Runa resumed her efforts to dodge their attacks. It annoyed her to no end how Saix could just stand there and watch, while she struggled for her life. _'Knowing him, it's probably some kind of sadistic pleasure. Yeah that's it... a sadistic pleasure alright,'_ she thought, running away wildly from the pursuing Nobodies. It amazed her that she had even made in one piece this far in the fight. After all, it was her _brother_ who was used to this sort of thing. Looking behind as she ran, her face broke into a wide grin when she no longer saw the Dusks following her. "Ha! Suckers!" she laughed, beginning to slightly slow from her desperate run. "That's what you get… when you… mess with… _crap_." Right in front of her was what seemed to be an entire battalion of the annoying things.

"There you go again," Saix chuckled darkly from where he stood behind the Dusks. "Now, give me my answ-"

"Are you seriously doing all this just because I won't answer some stupid questions?!" Runa interjected exasperatedly. Saix was about to open his mouth for a stinging retort when the woman suddenly marched up to him, apparently forgetting the Dusks separating them, and slapped him across the face. "That is either the most immature thing I have ever heard of, or you're just the stupidest man I've ever met! I've put up with your crap time and time again, but this is it!" And while Runa continued her rant her abhorrence of him, she failed to notice Saix's eyes grow wider and brighter. "How can anyone put up with you?! Just standing in the same room as you must drive them insane!"

"Well, you've gotten _his_ personality pinned down," a smooth, cocky voice chuckled. As Runa glanced around wildly for the voice's source, Saix attempted to regain his usual cool demeanor. In the matter of a few seconds, a portal of darkness opened at his side, and steeping out was none other than the crimson-haired Nobody himself. "Saix's, that is."

"Axel, what are you doing here?" Saix murmured, never taking his eyes off the woman before him.

"Thought I'd stop by and say hello. Isn't that what friends are for?" he smirked.

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Looks like somebody's in a bad mood. Oh well, I guess that can't be helped seeing as you're never even in a _tolerable _mood," he sighed, grinning slightly. In response, Saix simply raised his hand to summon another corridor. "Fine, fine. I get the message. Let's go, we've wasted enough time here, yadda yadda yadda," Axel said as he stepped through the same corridor he had exited only a few minutes ago. Pausing before he entered his own portal, Saix turned toward a wide-eyed Runa. Golden eyes narrowing, he snarled, "We'll meet again soon Runa." And with that, Saix disappeared into the darkness once again.

For a while, Runa could not move from the shock of what had just occurred. Apparently, there was more where Saix had come from... wherever _that_ was. _'Well, at least it seems that he's starting to use my name. That's some improvement at least.'_ Taking a brief look at the setting sun, she gave a small sigh as she began the long walk back home. The supplies that she had bought earlier had been scattered beyond salvaging after that psychopath had set those… _things_ on her.

After a while of trudging through the snow, Runa had finally approached Ansem's castle. Entering the complex maze that would eventually lead to his office, she walked through the series of turns until it seemed that she was hopelessly lost. However, when she suddenly placed her hand on a small patch of smooth brick, the wall opened to reveal a fairly large room. And within that room, was a small boy with red hair and green eyes, practicing with his keyblade. As he turned toward the sound of the door opening, his face broke out into a large grin. "Sister! You're back!" he said happily. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry about that Alec," Runa smiled, ruffling his hair. "I got a little side-tracked by that man again today. And you know what? He made me lose all our groceries too!"

* * *

**A/N: **Aaaaaaaannnnnd that's it for now folks! So, the keyblade warrior that you've heard about is finally revealed. Yeesh, that took long enough. Well, you'll be happy to know that the plot will be progressing more from this point on. Thank you again for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Phew, well this certainly was time consuming. I don't know how, but I've managed to spit out at least three different chapters/stories in four days. For some reason, this chapter took the longest out of all of them. Well, at least I'm finally done now. And before I forget, I'd like to thank feralfairy and surxi25 for reviewing as well as everybody else who put this on their alert list. Well, that's enough blabbing for now. Please enjoy!

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its plot, nor any of its characters. Crazy, isn't it?_

_

* * *

_

"Well, that wasn't so bad,"Alec admitted as he pushed away his plate. It had been a simple dinner, but one nonetheless.

"Yeah, but I'll still have to go out for the groceries I lost," Runa said, wincing at the thought of marching through the snow again. If anything, it was going to be colder by the way the snow seemed to be building up. "I'll probably have to start running errands again so we can get some more munny too…"

"Sis, why don't you let me do that for once?" her brother asked. "You're always working hard to keep up the place for Cid, _and_ you take care of me. I know how tired you are when you get home. Why can't I do some of the work for once?" At hearing these words, Runa gave a small smirk. Most normal sisters would never dare to _think_ that their little brothers would ever say such things. Then again, the two of them weren't exactly what the world called 'normal'.

"Wait a little longer Alec, then we'll talk about it," she said, smiling at her brother over their small table.

"… Hey Runa?"

"Hm?"

"What'd you say the guy's name was again?" Alec asked as he stuffed a large piece of bread in his mouth.

"…Saix," she muttered, giving her food an extra-sharp stab with her fork. As always, simply recalling that arrogant smirk of his sent shivers down her spine. Honestly, she didn't know what was the cause of those shivers, but Runa was willing to bet all the munny in her wallet that it came from pure annoyance. The man was impossible to understand. One moment he's trying to kill her, the other he's mocking every aspect of her. And after that, he just ran into one of his… portal-thingys. _'One of these days, he's not going to be able to run away so easily,' _she thought. _'And when that day comes… he's going to get the longest lecture of his life.' _A malicious smile crossing her face for a while, Runa contented herself with imagining Saix tied to a chair, forced to listen to her every word. Oh, that would be the day.

"Sis …Sis!!!" Alec suddenly shouted.

"I'm sorry Alec, what were you saying?" she asked, reluctantly snapping out of her daydream.

"It's just… you looked…" _'Kinda scary for a second.'_ "… Never mind, it's nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"If you insist then," Runa shrugged, turning back to her food. Little did she know that once she had turned her attention away from Alec, he continued to watch her to see if she would make that scary face again. It was very rare that Runa got herself worked up about something, and Alec was curious to know what kind of person this Saix to have put his sister in such a grumpy mood. Hiding his grin behind his cup as he sipped, Alec remembered the day that she had first come storming in, ranting about some "blue-haired she-male". It took quite a bit to make his sister get this mad, but when somebody was stupid enough to actually accomplish that… it was never pretty. His sister was definitely a force to be reckoned with when she was angry, to say the least.

* * *

Hearing a knock on the library door, Saix shot a menacing glare toward the noise before snapping his book shut and walking toward the door. As he predicted, it was none other than Axel. For a while, the two of them simply stood there, glaring at each other. Well, to be specific, Saix was glaring and Axel was wearing his usual smirk.

"What do you want Axel?" Saix sighed, turning his back on the flame-haired Nobody as he walked back to his book. "Surely you have missions to keep you occupied."

"Yeah, but they can wait," Axel replied, shutting the door behind him. "Right now, I want some answers."

"Answers to _what_, pray tell?" he sneered.

"Well, for starters, who was that girl you were hanging around? You said her name was Runa… or something like that."

Feeling his body stiffen at the very mention of her, Saix was barely able to suppress a low growl in time. "And what about her?"

"Oh nothing. It just seems that you've built up an unusual sense of tolerance for her. Well, that's the way it looks like to _me_ at least," he said as he reclined on a couch in a feline manner. And that's just what he seemed like to Saix. A cat, waiting patiently for the opportune moment to pounce. Giving a low chuckle at the thought, Saix moved to the shelves to take out another book.

"You are gravely mistaken Axel," he said as he skimmed through the book's pages. "I hold absolutely no tolerance for her insolence."

"Then why is she still alive?" Axel asked, smirking to himself.

"The Superior seems to think that… she is valuable to our cause."

"Oh really? In what way?"

"… I do not know," Saix admitted reluctantly. "But it is only a matter of time until I force the answer out of her."

At that statement, Axel couldn't hold back a laugh. Narrowing his eyes, Saix muttered, "And just what is so funny?"

"Absolutely nothing," Axel sniggered. "But there are better ways to get information out of a woman. I'm sure you could think of a few."

"I am not interested in whatever method your twisted mind has produced," Saix said stiffly as he opened yet another book.

Giving a small sigh, Axel began to stare dully at the ceiling. "What the hell are you looking for anyway?"

"More information regarding the keyblade masters."

"More?"

"Yes, more. I need to see if their hearts have any weaknesses similar to normal hearts."

"Well, I'm pretty sure that they still die if you stab them there," Axel muttered sarcastically.

"I need more details than that Axel," Saix replied, running his fingers across the book's pages.

"… Where's Zexion anyway? He's usually hanging around here."

"He's currently preparing for the Castle Oblivion mission. As you should be doing."

"Work, work, work. That's all you ever think about, isn't it?" Axel chuckled. "… Honestly though, if you're trying to find some answers from her, just _try_ to be nice. A bit of compassion never hurt anyone." Getting up from his seat, he clapped Saix lightly on the shoulder. "It was never difficult for you when we were Somebodies." And with that, he left the room.

Turning the book's page, Saix murmured, "You forgot Lea… We no longer have any hearts to even _feel_ compassion anymore." Snapping yet another book shut, the blue-haired Nobody exited the library to prepare the assignments for the Castel Oblivion team.

* * *

"Hey Alec," Runa said, pulling a jacket over her shirt. "I'm gonna head outside for a while. Could you stay inside while I'm gone?"

"Sure sis. Be back soon 'k?" he smiled, green eyes sparkling as he watched Runa open the door that lead to their home.

"Sure thing," she said, shutting the door behind her. Suddenly the door flew open again. "Oh and Alec, if you're going to practice with your Keyblade, please do it here. I think it'd be a good idea to be running around with it with all these guys around." Taking her brother's grumbling as a yes, Runa flashed him a quick smile before shutting the door once again. Her footsteps echoing through the corridors of Ansem's castle, she rubbed her hands against her arms as she felt a slight chill. It had stopped snowing only a while ago, but the snow had stuck, making the slopes of Hollow Bastion even more slippery than usual. Lucky for Runa, she wasn't planning on going anywhere near those slopes. No sir, all she wanted to do was to get the groceries, and be back home in the span of twenty minutes. And if she wanted that to happen, there was no room in her schedule for a certain blue-haired man. Nope, absolutely no room at all.

Hurriedly counting the small amount of munny in her hand, Runa gave a small sigh. There was barely enough for a week's worth of supplies in that small pouch. Of course, there was plenty of munny that Ansem had left the two of them in his vaults, but she did not like to use that munny except in emergencies. Which would probably be in the near future, seeing as about half of her own had been wasted yesterday on the supplies that Saix had caused her to spill. Now that some time had passed, Runa had forgiven him for that small ordeal. But what continued to _infuriate_ her was how he had almost killed her! "Frickin' psychopath," she murmured underneath her breath.

"Well that certainly was rude," a monotone voice rang out as the customary portal appeared before her.

Giving a loud groan, Runa muttered, "Please not today Saix. Hell, you can come back tomorrow, but _please_… not today."

Stepping out of the portal, he raised a blue eyebrow at her statement. "Oh? And what's so special about today?"

Glaring up at him, she said, "Because I do not feel like putting up with arrogant snot-heads today, that's why. Why are you here anyway? I would think that you're tired of this place by now."

Truth be told, Saix had absolutely no idea what he was doing back in Hollow Bastion. It was almost as if his feet had gotten a mind of their own which was quite strange for anybody, let alone Saix. "You can say it was because of boredom," he said casually.

"Boredom?" Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "You really expect me to believe _that_?"

"Are you saying that I'm a liar?" Already this girl was beginning to madden him. It was unbelievable how childish she was. "You are being quite rude today Runa," he growled. "Even more so than usual."

"Rude? _Rude_?! I've never been anything but polite to you Saix!" she yelled, ignoring the fact that he had used her name yet again. "_You're_ the one that's trying to kill me! _You're_ the one that's caused all this… this… this _foolishness_ here in the first place!"

"Really?" he murmured in a purr-like growl, walking slowly towards her. "And would you care to remember how our first meeting went? Would you care to remember who introduced themselves by throwing _rocks_ at my person?" Thrusting an arm behind him, Saix opened another portal a few feet away. As he shot one last glare at her, the Nobody threw a small pouch at her feet. "Be sure you think before making such claims next time."

Slightly shocked from the (normally) stoic man's tirade, Runa cautiously bent down to pick up the pouch. Gasping at its contents, she discovered that Saix had left her the same amount of munny that she had spent on the previous day's supplies. And as she turned around to thank the man, she found that he had already disappeared.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, not much of a cliffhanger this time. To be honest though, I'm really happy to finally reach this point. I've got some big plans for the next few chapters... *maniacal laughter* And remember kids, encouragement is appreciated!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Thank goodness, I finally got this out! This chapter seemed to take longer than usual for some reason. Eh, I no no why. Well, thanks for your patience everybody! Thanks to NinjaSheik and surxi25 for reviewing as well as to everybody else who has faved this story! And now, on with ze show!

_Disclaimer: Do I have to? Really? Grreeaaat. Anywho, I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its plot, characters, and other whatnot. So take _that_!_

* * *

'_I'm getting soft,'_ Saix growled as he paced the length of his room. Why had he gone back? Why had he given her that pouch? Why had he even bothered to converse with her at all? He should have killed her for her impertinence, or at the very least, brought her to the Organization's castle. She had access to the very information they needed, but he never managed to get any answers out of her.

Suddenly, the sliding of doors could be heard as a presence entered his room. Light footsteps echoed across the room as Saix turned to face the intruder. "Superior," Saix murmured respectfully.

"… You have failed me again, haven't you Saix?" Xemnas questioned, cloak rustling as he walked came closer to his second-in-command.

"I am afraid so," he said in his monotone. "But I assure you, it shall not happen next time."

"Next time?" he repeated, amber eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "You have failed me in this regard twice, VII. What makes you think that I shall entrust you with this mission yet _again_?"

"With all due respect Superior, I was just beginning to make progress in the mission," Saix said, mind whirring. There was no way in _hell_ if any of the other members were going to take his mission. If Xemnas no longer deemed him competent, then it was only a matter of time before he was turned into a Dusk.

"Oh? How so?" Xemnas questioned, raising a fine, silver eyebrow. "Please, enlighten me on your latest expedition."

"Superior, I implore you to give me but a little more time with the girl. I will not fail you again, but she requires more supervision than one would expect. I am fairly certain that she knows the location of the keyblade warrior we seek. Kingdom Hearts is within our _grasp_, Superior. All you need to do, is to allow me more time."

For a while, Xemnas simply looked at Saix with a bored expression, betraying neither thought nor emotion. Just when Saix thought his plea was in vain, Xemnas murmured, "I shall give you one more chance VII. One last chance." Walking briskly out of his second-in-command's room, the Superior suddenly turned his face back toward the blue-haired Nobody. "And," he said. "If you fail to complete your mission soon, I will proceed with my intentions as planned."

"Of course Superior," Saix said, bowing his head slightly. As Xemnas's steps eventually faded away, Saix gave a slight growl in irritation. _'Runa… you are going to pay for making me look like such a fool,_' he thought angrily. _'Pay dearly indeed…'_

* * *

"Thanks again you guys," Runa grimly murmured to Huey, Dewey, and Louie as she gathered her things. She had just finished purchasing her supplies with the munny that Saix had given her; however, Runa was now in one of her less-than-pleasant moods. Ever since Saix had left, innumerable questions had been flying through her mind.

Where was he from? Was he really as cruel as she had made him out to be? _Why_ was he trying to kill her one moment, and helping her the next? Why did he want to know about her brother, aka one of the keyblade warriors?

The way she saw it, he enjoyed making her life a confusing hell. He was probably watching her right now to see how far she could go before she broke down. _'That _definitely_ sounds like something that dumb bastard would do…' _she thought darkly.

And yet another matter continued to puzzle her. He had attacked her multiple times, and she was _sure_ that if he had actually wanted to, he could have captured her whenever he wished. So _why_ hadn't he? And _why_ did it appear that he was (dare she say it) trying to make amends?

Again, he was probably relishing the fact that he was making her life hell.

* * *

Storming through the castle, Saix growled a low, dangerous growl deep in his throat. If IX didn't watch it, he would probably end up with his beloved sitar strewn across the castle. Apparently Demyx had thought that it would be funny if he played a "practical joke" on the Berserker. The joke had involved a sudden tsunami to appear from around the corner, effectively drenching both the Berserker _and_ Demyx. His excuses had always allowed him to get away from punishment previously, but if the Luna Diviner's expression were anything to go by, there would be no such pardons this time around. Now IX was hiding somewhere in the castle, waiting for Saix's mood to blow over.

It came as no surprise to the Organization to find Saix in such a foul mood; however, it _would_ come as a shock if they found out that his frustration actually stemmed from a human girl. It was silly actually, how a stupid girl like Runa clung continually to his thoughts. _'As if she wasn't already a nuisance enough,'_ Saix sighed, attempting to calm himself down before he went on a rampage. Perhaps it would be wise if he went to another world to cool his anger. Yes, that was it. There were always Heartless that needed exterminating. The Superior wouldn't miss him for the few moments that it took to take down a few hundred Heartless. And hopefully, by then, his temper would be under control once again.

It was strange for Saix to feel so infuriated when he was _not_ under the influence of the moon. After all, he was known for having a cold, calculating personality. That is, until he turned Berserk. But that was beside the point. All that Saix wanted to do now was beat the hell out of something, and beat it _now_. Waving a gloved hand to open a corridor, Saix strode into the portal, not particularly caring where he was headed precisely.

As soon as he stepped out of the portal, he was greeted by a sudden rush of freezing wind. Pulling his hood over his head to protect his face, Saix gave an inaudible sigh as he continued to make his way through the Land of the Dragons. _'At least,'_ he thought, _'I'm far away from that Runa brat.'_

Making his way up the mountain, Saix suddenly felt the ground shaking underneath him. As he noticed the cracks forming beneath his feet, the Nobody managed to jump away in time before a pair of giant jaws snapped in the space he had occupied moments before. Summoning Lunatic, Saix watched coolly as an enormous Heartless began to emerge from the ground and take to the sky. Ignoring his mind's warnings about battling the Heartless called the Storm Rider, Saix simply tossed his claymore from hand to hand.

"Well," he smirked, "hopefully you will prove yourself to be a challenge." And with that, the Nobody charged.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, I know that this is a little shorter than usual, but it's necessary for this chapter. I promise that I'll go back to the normal length for the next chapter! But if I could make a small request? I need to know how well I'm doing thus far in the story. Could I get a few reviews? You don't have to if you don't want to, but I would just like to know where I stand. Thanks, and until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Yeesh... it's been a while. Sorry about that. Good news is that school's almost over. Bad news is that exams are getting closer. Anywho, thanks to surxi25 and Amber-Wolf-Elemental for reviewing! Also, tons of thanks to everybody who faved and put this story on their alert list! The drama's finally coming to this story! Please enjoy!

_Disclaimer: Eeeeeehhhhh... Guess what I'm gonna say? Yep, Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me. Nuttin'. Bupkiss!_

* * *

Gasping for breath, Saix leaned against the cliff as he clutched at the wound on his chest. It was unbelievable enough that the Heartless had managed to defeat him, but in his moment of desperation to escape, did he _really_ have to teleport back to Hollow Bastion of all places?! Luckily, he had not begun to fade; however, he still had yet to drag himself to a safe place free of Heartless. Currently, the only place that he could think of was none other than the lab in Ansem's castle. He was in no position to turn down any remotely safe zones, even if that _wench_ resided close to one of them. Besides, he doubted he would be of much welcome in the village.

His mind made up, Saix slowly made his way toward the abandoned castle. However, just as he arrived within sight of it his vision began to blur. "Damn it," he murmured, panting for breath. "Not now… Not when I'm almost there." Unfortunately his body could not support him any longer, and promptly sent him writhing into the depths of unconsciousness. But just as his eyes closed, Saix could have sworn that he saw Runa running towards him.

* * *

"What kind of mess did you get yourself into?" Runa muttered as she gazed down at Saix's form. His claymore had long vanished into thin air, seeing as its master was in no position to command it. At the moment, she had half a mind to leave him where he laid in the snow. But as she looked behind him to see the trail he had created in his desperation to stay alive, she felt a twinge of pity toward the Nobody. It was obvious that he had gotten into a fight of some sort, and had sought to find refuge in Ansem's castle. Looking back down toward Saix, Runa's expression softened as she saw his face twist in pain. Nobodies may not be able to have hearts, she realized, but they were perfectly able to feel pain.

Squatting down next to his shoulder, Runa cautiously tapped his shoulder before immediately moving away in the case that Saix would rather take a few of her limbs while her guard was down. However, when he made no motion, she carefully tapped him a few more times before simply sitting in the snow next to his body. "Well," she huffed, blowing a stray strand of brown hair out of her face. "Better get you out of the cold." Ever so slowly, she managed to drape his form over her back so that she was fully supporting him as she walked painstakingly through the snow.

Honestly, she had no idea of what caused this sudden act of charity. All she knew was that there was no way that she could leave him half-dead in the freezing snow. But where to put him? He was looking for a keyblade warrior in Hollow Bastion, and her brother fit that very description. She couldn't possibly put her sole sibling in that sort of danger. But… there was always a few other rooms that Ansem had put into the castle in the case that she and Alec needed a better hiding place. A panic room of sorts, she guessed it could be called. That settled it; she would put Saix into the room until he healed. _'Or whenever he decides to leave, seeing as that I'll never be strong enough to force him to leave,'_ Runa chuckled to herself as she made her way towards the castle.

* * *

It was strange, this. He was under the impression that he was lying somewhere impossibly comfortable when he should have faded long ago. Unless… he had already faded? No, if he had faded, he would have simply ceased to exist. The notion of him feeling comfort would have been something close to impossible. So then, where was he?

Stirring slightly where he laid, he gave a small grunt as he felt the wounds on his chest. A quick clutch at his chest revealed that someone had already bothered to bandage him, which came as a surprise to him, no matter how much he wished to deny the emotion. But he definitely couldn't refute the shock he felt when he felt a hand firmly smack his hand away from his wounds. "Moron," a familiar voice said. "I don't know what kind of trouble you got yourself into, but if you make those wounds reopen, I'm not gonna go through all the trouble of bandaging them _again_." His eyes snapping open, Saix resisted the urge to groan in frustration. He would recognize that voice anywhere.

"Damn woman," Saix cursed underneath his breath. "Don't you notice that I didn't bleed? What in all the worlds' names made you think that _bandaging_ would help?"

"Do you think that you could just be grateful that I didn't leave you in the snow, and shut up for once?" she growled. Saix cautiously observed Runa as she bustled around the room, apparently searching for something. "Honestly, do you just come by here when you're bored sometimes so that you can torture me some more?"

"I didn't mean to come here," he stated blandly, directing his vision away from her. The room he currently resided in was considerably modest, and had obviously seen better times. A few lamps on the wall provided the lighting in the room, while the rest of the chamber contained a few pieces of furniture. And apparently, Runa had stripped him of his cloak while bandaging him, if his bare chest was any indication.

"Sure," she replied disbelievingly, rolling her eyes. "But seriously, don't you have somewhere to go back to?"

"Are you eager to be rid of me that much?" he sighed as he debated whether he should continue to lie on the bed. Deciding against it, Saix propped himself on his elbows as he watched Runa to continue rushing around the room.

"If I was 'eager to get rid of you' then you would have frozen a long time ago, I can promise you that much."

"Then why are you helping me?" And to his astonishment, that comment made her shut up.

"I… I don't really know, to be honest," she murmured softly. "I just… couldn't leave you out there, wounded like that."

"So, it was pity?"

"Maybe," she responded, finally finding what she was looking for. "Maybe not. I'm not really sure." Throwing the object at him, Runa gave a small smirk as Saix caught it with his lightning-fast reflexes. It took every ounce of control she had to not giggle when she saw the look of utter shock when he found that the object was a small loaf of bread. However, his face quickly turned from one of shock to one of arrogance.

"You _do_ realize that Nobodies need no source of nourishment?" he drawled. "It does little to nothing for us."

"Yeah yeah," she muttered. "Eat up anyway. I'm not about to let you starve, whether you need the food or not."

"Hn. Very well." After simply staring at the bread for a while, he then said patronizingly, "But couldn't you have gotten something more appetizing?"

"If you want something else, you can go out and get it with your own munny. But until then, you'll eat what I buy… snothead," she muttered, turning toward the bag that she had gotten the bread out of. When he was sure that Runa had turned away, Saix gobbled the entire loaf in a few bites. Sure he didn't need it, but it was nice to feel as if you had a full stomach. However, as he stared at Runa's turned back, Saix couldn't help but feel a slow warmth spread from the place his heart should have been.

* * *

**A/N: **Again, please let me know how I'm doing. Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Yeah... I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to take this much time to create the chapter. I won't give a long A/N so you can go ahead and read, but I would like to apologize for taking so long in updating. With vacation finally here, I can say that it definitely won't take so long next time. Thank you to everyone who has R&R-ed! Now, please enjoy!

_Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts, it characters, plot, and other whatnot do not belong to me. _

* * *

"Wench," Saix groaned, his bare arm lying haphazardly over his eyes. "Get over here."

No response.

"_Wench,_" he snarled, a little more force pushed into his voice. "I told you to _get_ over here."

No response.

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Saix muttered reluctantly, "Runa, _please_ get over here."

Beside his bed in a matter of moments, Runa grinned down brightly at her guest. "See? Was it really so difficult?"

"Nothing is ever _not_ difficult with you, let's just put it that way," he retorted.

Working out what his sentence in her mind, she opted to punch him lightly on the arm. Or not so lightly. "Either way, you're still stuck with me. Now, what did you want anyway?"

"I realize how, in your demented mind, this seems like a heartfelt gesture. But unlike yourself, I need—"

"Look you, the only thing _you_ need is rest," she said firmly. "It's only been a _day_ since you got your ass over here. I don't care if "Nobodies have the ability to regenerate cells faster than your pathetic self"; you're still staying put until I decide you can leave."

"And what when would _that_ be precisely?" Saix asked scathingly. "And that's _not_ what I sound like," he added underneath his breath.

"Sure, sure." Flicking him lightly on the stomach, Runa smirked at his hiss of pain. "The patient is free to go when he can at least handle _that_. Now, lay back down before I give you something to complain about." Hearing Saix give an uncharacteristic "humph", Runa stifled a giggle underneath her breath. It seemed like it would be a while before she had to worry about him again. While Saix had been resting the previous night, Runa had informed Alec about her current situation. After doing so, she had made it explicitly clear that he was _not_ to come into the room at any time, seeing as Saix was currently searching for a keyblade warrior. And of course, Alec had given her his word that he would listen to—

"Hey Sis!"

Snapping around at breakneck speed, Runa's eyes widened drastically as she saw her brother enter the room.

"And who might this be?" Saix drawled behind her.

"Name's Alec!" he grinned. "And I guess you're… Saix!"

"Talking about me behind my back, Runa?" he asked smugly, his eyes glinting.

"Shut it, scarface."

Clucking his tongue, Saix shook his head. "Now, is that any way to talk in front of your… brother, is it? I certainly hope you're not trying to set an example for him."

"How about you shove—"

"Whoa! How did you get that scar?" Alec exclaimed, suddenly popping up beside Saix's bed.

"A battle," he answered, to Runa's surprise.

"With what?"

"An enemy."

"What kind?"

"A strong one."

Glaring at Saix with a look eerily similar to Runa's, Alec muttered, "Sis was right. You _do_ make a habit of avoiding questions."

Hearing Runa chuckling in the background, Saix narrowed his eyes at her back. "What else does your… dear sister say about me?"

A thoughtful look crossing his face, he said, "Well, a lot of things. She seems to prefer calling you a—"

Slapping a hand over her brother's mouth, Runa started laughing nervously. "I think that's enough for now, Alec. I think he's had enough for today."

"No, please," Saix replied, a low growl evident in his voice. "By all means, let him finish. I'm simply _dying_ to know what you've been saying about me." Despite the fact that she knew that Saix currently didn't have the strength to swat at a fly, Runa felt a shiver of dread travel down her spine.

Swatting her hand away from his mouth, Alec spat out, "She-male!"

Raising a blue eyebrow, Saix narrowed his eyes even more at Runa. "Excuse me?"

"That's what she calls you. A she-male."

"Thanks, Alec. Thanks," she groaned, slapping a hand against her face.

"Anytime, Sis," he smirked impishly. "I think I'll leave you alone now. If you need anything, I'll be outside." And with that, he ran out of the room before his sister could manage to get her hands around his throat.

Feeling Saix's eyes drilling a hole in her back, Runa giggled nervously. "Eh, there are always worse things to call somebody… right?"

"…Runa…" he growled.

"Yes?" she squeaked out.

"… Count yourself lucky," he said sullenly before turning away from her.

Feeling a mischievous smile drift across her face, Runa said, "You might need to specify."

Silence.

"Aw, are you mad now?"

Silence.

"Really? After all the things I've called you, you decide to get upset over "she-male"?"

Silence.

"C'mon… say _something_," she said as she walked closer to the bed. "It's really ticking me off. I didn't know that grown men could pout."

Silence.

Shoving at his shoulder lightly, Runa murmured, "That's not fair, _I'm _supposed to be the immature one in this relationship."

Smug silence.

"Okay, look. Just tell me why I'm so "lucky", and then I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day."

"… It should be obvious." Propping himself up on his elbows to face her, Saix locked eyes with her. "You have someone that genuinely looks up to you and cares for you. Us Nobodies do not have that luxury. That is why you are fortunate."

"What do you mean you don't have that luxury?"

"What?"

"I'm looking after you, whether you like it or not, remember?" she said resolutely.

Chuckling softly, Saix replied, "If you insist."

"I do."

* * *

_**One Week Later**_

"Can I _please_ have my cloak back?" Saix asked exasperatedly, giving in to the urge to roll his eyes.

"No way in _hell_! Do you have _any_ idea of how many rips are in that thing?" Runa retorted. "It's not my fault that you wear the same thing every day of your life!"

"Would you two stop bickering for once?" Alec sighed.

And as per usual, the two ignored him as they continued to exchange insults.

* * *

"Any word from VII?" Xemnas inquired as he narrowed his eyes at the members gathered before him. During Saix's absence, the Castle Oblivion group had departed and begun their mission. Naturally, that meant that Organization XIII was now down by more than half its members.

"There has been no contact with Saix for over a week, sir," Demyx said uneasily as he attempted to hide behind Xaldin. "And none of us have any idea of where he is."

Appearing to mull over his thoughts for a while, Xemnas eventually met his subordinates' gazes with a glare. "Then I will find him myself."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Okie, sorry for the delay. This chapter did not want to be written! Anywho, thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved, or put this story on their alert list! Please enjoy!

_Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts, it characters, plot, and other whatnot do not belong to me._

_

* * *

_

"Ludicrous."

"You didn't even listen to what I had to say yet!"

"I don't need to listen to your theory to know that it won't make any sense," Saix snorted, overlooking the view of Hollow Bastion. The two of them were seated on one of the ledges of Hollow Bastion's many cliffs, since earlier that day, Saix had demanded that he was more than well enough to take "more than two steps out of bed". Runa had thought about making him rest for a few more days just for the sake of annoying him, but they both knew that he was more than well enough by now. Besides, a cranky Saix wasn't exactly the best company. Anywho, the two of them had almost instantly begun debating about the subject of hearts as soon as they were situated. Neither of them could remember what precisely brought it up, but they continued to discuss the topic at length.

Saix had surprised Runa over the time that he had stayed with her and Alec. Rather than snarling at the both of them at every opportunity, he seemed to tolerate them. It was almost as if the Saix that Runa had first met had never existed. Well, almost. The two of them still had their moments when they fought. Of course, it wasn't nearly as bad as when they (more specifically Saix) had been using more... lethal tactics.

"It'll beat yours, I know that much. Give my idea a chance now!"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Saix turned his head towards Runa. "Fine. What is your _brilliant_ theory, Runa?"

Shrugging off the monotone that he continued to use, Runa smiled up at him. "Okay, try this one. What if it's just a trick of your mind?"

Raising his eyebrows higher than Runa thought was possible, Saix gave a look that clearly said, "you-had-better-have-a-better-theory-than-that-or-I'm-going-to-use-your-intestines-to-play-double-dutch". Well, maybe not in those exact words, but something close to that.

"But let me continue. I promise it isn't as stupid as it sounds," Runa insisted.

"Then, by all means, please elaborate," he replied, eyebrows returning to their usual level.

"Well... for starters, did someone tell you that you were without a heart, or did you figure it out on your own?"

For a long while, there was silence to the point where Runa was afraid that Saix wouldn't answer. However, after a small sigh, he directed his gaze to the rising dusk before them. "Both, I guess. My friend and I, we were devoured by Heartless when our world succumbed to the darkness. As you can imagine, that particular memory is difficult to forget. Afterwards, I don't remember how precisely, but a… superior found us and informed us about what precisely we had changed into.

"What do you mean a "superior"?"

"Next question."

"But—"

"Next. Question."

"… Who was your friend? If you don't mind telling me, that is," she mumbled, suddenly feeling extremely obtrusive. After all, Saix had led a completely different life before he became a Nobody.

"You've met him before. Do you recall a man named Axel?"

It only took her a few moments to remember that particular Nobody. "Oh yeah! The redhead! You two are friends?"

A darker expression seemed to cross Saix's face at that comment. "I don't think he would count me as an ally now. Too much has changed for us… But I digress. There is no possible way that any Nobody could have retained a heart after their fatal encounter with the Heartless."

"Perhaps… but what if a _sliver_ of a heart is still there? Even if the Heartless devoured your heart, there's still a chance that a part of it remains buried deep within you. Perhaps you have simply rejected the fact a small piece could have been saved, despite the attack. You didn't want to get your hopes up."

"Runa—"

"I would have probably done the same, to be perfectly honest."

"Runa, it's—"

"But still, think on it. Perhaps you only believed you didn't have a heart when the possibility was revealed to you. Maybe that's the same for all No—"

Suddenly, Runa could feel his ice-cold glare centered onto her. "And what makes you think that I have this 'fragment of a heart', as you so put it?" he hissed. "Do you think that we Nobodies have a heart to define us? Tell me, have you ever seen a Nobody die? Upon our demise, we do not leave a body. We are _nothing_."

"And do you really believe that?" she answered simply, her eyes staring directly into his golden ones.

And although he might not have shown it, that comment took him by surprise. Never had he actually questioned his state, but rather, simply accepted what he now was. The very notion of his heart surviving the Heartless had been laughable. He had never thought to simply question what had happened that fateful day. But he would jump off the ledge he was sitting on before he let Runa know that. Redirecting his eyes back to the horizon, Saix contented himself with pondering over those words. Was it possible? Could he still have a piece of a heart buried inside him? Then what would be the purpose of Kingdom Hearts? Could Xemnas be wrong? Was Kingdom Hearts even necessary? And who was this woman to put these notions in his head?

"Another question," Runa suddenly said, breaking Saix out of his reverie.

"Yes?"

"Before this whole mess started… Before you became a Nobody… What was your name?"

And for the first time as a Nobody, Saix was completely taken aback. That was the first time someone had actually asked him that. Not even Xemnas, whose duty was to know those he admitted into the Organization, had ever bothered to ask him that. The words refusing to come out of his mouth, Saix cleared his throat before murmuring, "Isa. My name was Isa."

Smiling at him, Runa murmured, "That's a nice name." It was strange but… for a moment, she could have sworn that he returned her smile.

Standing from his seat, Saix replied, "We had better go back inside now. It's growing dark."

Nodding her consent, Runa led Saix to the trail that would bring them back to his room. It was apparent that Saix had healed completely by now. Tonight would probably be the last night he spent with her and Alec. And for some reason, that brought an unpleasant, lukewarm feeling to her chest. For all the close calls she and her brother had encountered (what with him having a keyblade and all), there was something she would miss when Saix would leave. What would happen after this? She, for one, didn't want to go back to the days of attempted interrogations. Shaking her head of those thoughts, she decided that she would deal with the consequences as they came. There was no use in worrying about anything just yet.

* * *

Beady orange eyes narrowed in annoyance. Number VII had proven himself quite difficult to find, but now the search was over. Indeed, the Diviner would have some explaining to do.


End file.
